Nrithya Choodamani
Nrithya Choodamani (Tamil: நிருத்ய சூடாமணி) is an Indian classical dance award conferred annually by the Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Instituted in 1974, the award recognizes distinguished lifetime contributions and excellence in Indian classical dance, including performance, choreography, pedagogy, and scholarship across multiple classical dance traditions of India.[1]
The award is presented during the annual cultural festival organised by Krishna Gana Sabha and is regarded as one of the notable honours conferred by Indian cultural institutions in the field of classical dance.[2]
Background
Krishna Gana Sabha, a Chennai-based cultural organisation, instituted the Nritya Choodamani award in 1974 as a counterpart to its Sangeetha Choodamani award for Carnatic music.[3] The objective of the award is to recognise senior dancers and gurus who have made sustained and significant contributions to Indian classical dance traditions.
Since its inception, the award has been conferred upon artistes representing diverse dance forms including Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam and Kathakali.
Selection and criteria
The Nritya Choodamani award is conferred based on long-term contribution to Indian classical dance. Selection considerations typically include artistic excellence, influence as a performer or teacher, contribution to repertoire or choreography, and efforts towards preservation and propagation of classical dance traditions.[4] [5]
Recipients are generally senior artistes with several decades of professional engagement in the field.
Award
The award customarily includes a citation, a medal or plaque, ceremonial honours, and public felicitation during the Krishna Gana Sabha annual festival.
List of awardees
| Year | Awardee(s) | Dance form(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam | Bharatanatyam |
| 1982 | Sobha Naidu | Kuchipudi |
| 1985 | Alarmel Valli | Bharatanatyam |
| 1992 | Kottakkal Krishnankutty Nair | Kathakali |
| 1994 | Bharati Shivaji | Mohiniyattam |
| 1998 | Malavika Sarukkai | Bharatanatyam |
| 2003 | M. V. Narasimhachari & Vasanthalakshmi | Bharatanatyam |
| 2006 | Ananda Shankar Jayant | Bharatanatyam |
| 2009 | Narthaki Nataraj | Bharatanatyam |
| 2011 | Surupa Sen & Bijayini Satpathy | Odissi |
| 2013 | Swapna Sundari | Kuchipudi; Bharatanatyam |
| 2015 | Dr. Neena Prasad | Mohiniyattam |
| 2016 | Nirupama & Rajendra | Kathak |
| 2017 | Rama Vaidyanathan | Bharatanatyam |
| 2018 | Vyjayanthi Kashi | Kuchipudi |
| 2019 | Pandit Rajendra Gangani | Kathak |
| 2022 | Vidhya Subramaniam | Bharatanatyam |
| 2023 | Dr. Sreelatha Vinod | Bharatanatyam |
| 2024 | Geeta Chandran | Bharatanatyam |
| 2025 | G. Narendra | Bharatanatyam |
Significance
Within the Indian classical arts community, the Nritya Choodamani award is regarded as a major career recognition. Several recipients of the award have also received national honours such as the Padma awards and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.[6]
See also
- Sangeetha Choodamani
- Indian classical dance
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Awardees". Krishna Gana Sabha. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ↑ "Krishna Gana Sabha honours senior dancers". The Hindu. December 2019.
- ↑ "History of Krishna Gana Sabha". Krishna Gana Sabha. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
- ↑ "Honouring excellence in Indian dance". The Hindu. December 2015.
- ↑ "'Everything is possible within Margam' says Rama Vaidyanathan". The Hindu. December 2017.
- ↑ "Major honours in Indian classical dance". The Hindu. January 2024.
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